Protophthiracarus turianiensis, Niedbała & Starý, 2015

Niedbała, Wojciech & Starý, Josef, 2015, New species of the superfamily Phthiracaroidea (Acari, Oribatida) from the Afrotropical Region, African Invertebrates 56 (1), pp. 39-39 : 42-44

Protophthiracarus turianiensis sp. n.

Figs 17–24

Etymology: The name refers to the type locality in the vicinity of Turiani town in the Nguru Mountains.

Measurements (holotYpe). Prodorsum: length 480, width 328, height 247; setae: ss 126, in 96, le 51, ro 81; notogaster: length 949, width 687, height 646; notogastral setae: c 1

152, c 1 / c 1 - d 1 =0.6, h 1 159, and ps 1 180; genitoaggenital plate 278×167; anoadanal plate 268×167.

Description:

Integument. Colour light brown. Surface of body alveolate and covered with strong sculpture.

Prodorsum ( Figs 17, 18 ). Distinct median crista. Strong hump present above the bothridium which continues in lateral carinae. Posterior furrows feeble. Sigillar fields not visible because of strong integument. Sensilli long, thin, without head, with feeble spines at tip. Interlamellar setae fairly long, thick, covered with small spines at distal end. Lamellar setae spiniform, rough. Rostral setae thick, obtuse, rough, curved inwards. Exobothridial setae vestigial.

Notogaster ( Fig. 23 ). Setae fairly long (c 1 <c 1 - d 1), thick, covered with small spines at distal end, some setae with spines on one side, some setae with spines on both sides. Setae of row c remote from anterior margin, c 2 and c 3 more remote than setae c 1. Vestigial setae f 1 and all lYrifissures not visible because of strong sculpture.

Ventral region ( Figs 19–22 ). Genitoaggenital plates with nine pairs of setae with formula: 5(4+1):4. Anoadanal plates each with five short, rough setae, adanal setae ad 2 the longest and thickest, setae an 2 longer than setae ad 1 and an 1, setae ad 3 the shortest. Legs ( Fig. 24 ). Formulae of setae and solenidia of “complete type ”. Setae d on femora I slightly remote from distal end of article.

Holotype: TANZANIA: Nguru Mts. , Turiani, 30.x.2010, 06°06'24"S 37°33'26"E, 677 m, deciduous forest on steep slope, leaf litter sifting, leg. V. Grebennikov, TAN-008 ( DATE).

ParatYpes: 4 specimens, same localitY data as holotYpe ( DATE) ; 4 specimens: TANZANIA: Nguru Mts. , Turiani, 4.xi.2010, 06°04'29"S 37°32'19"E, 1277 m, deciduous forest on steep slope, leaf litter sifting, leg. V . Grebennikov , TAN-009 (3 ISB and 1 NHMG) .

Remarks: The new species is distinguishable from congeners by the combination of the following characters: strong median crista of prodorsum, bacilliform, long, thin sensilli without head, setae of row c on notogaster remote from anterior margin, but setae c 1 less remote than setae c 2 and c 3.

Figures

Figs 17–24. Protophthiracarus turianiensis sp. n. holotYpe: (17) prodorsum, dorsal view; (18) prodorsum, lateral view; (19) left genitoaggenital plate; (20) paraxial fragment of left genitoaggenital plate; (21) left anoadanal plate; (22) mentum of subcapitulum; (23) lateral view of opisthosoma; (24) trochanter and femur of leg I.